FDA Says E-Cigarette Dangerous

FDA Claims Exaggerated

Everyone's heard both sides of the controversy concerning E-Cigarettes. On one side, supporters believe they're harmless and a highly effective smoking cessation aid. On the other side opponents say the smokeless cigarette is unsafe to consumer and are worthless as a smoking cessation tool. However as we all know, when there are two sides of a story, the reality is most likely somewhere in the middle.

The e-cig issue went viral after the Food and Drug Administration released a study declaring they had examined smokeless cigarettes, along with their associated product e-liquid, and established them to be dangerous since they contained poisonous materials. The ecig camp fired back by hiring a renowned research organization to look at the FDA report as well as the practices utilized in their research. The research firm determined the findings obtained by the FDA research were invalid as the screening techniques they used had obtained inaccurate and incomplete data.

So what exactly have we discovered about the safety of e cigs? Well, in essence nothing at all has changed. Both sides of the argument still declare success yet ultimately, the smokeless cigarette user remains in the dark about whether or not the electric cigarette is safe to use and effective as a stopping smoking tool. Let's take a closer look at the things we fully understand.

FDA's Point Of View

In the interest of brevity, I will not get into detail about how exactly the electronic cigarette operates or how it is used. It is basically a nicotine delivery tool not unlike the Dr. prescribed Nicotrol® inhaler. It functions by heating and atomizing a combination of propylene glycol and nicotine as the user breathes in through the unit. The FDA's main point of contention, which has been proven wrong through the secondary analysis, is that the nicotine containing solution that they analyzed included noxious pollutants. The controversy over this point itself is not my own concern. What is important to note would be the fact the Food and drug administration could have, be it intentional or not, came across an extremely pertinent point. How about we look at this a little deeper.

What About E-Liquid?

In the states, almost anything we consume must conform to requirements controlled by a range of federal organizations which insure our safety and health. We often see items recalled through the producer due to the smallest noncompliance with appropriate manufacturing procedures. Let's consider e-liquid (the nicotine product used in e-cigs). Presently, there are no polices in place concerning its manufacturing, who can produce it, how it is stored or even its shelf life. Generally speaking, you or I could go on the internet, buy e juice components and start blending it in our garages with zero regulation. For individual use, this may seem acceptable. Still, I don't know of any item intended for inhalation which you can prepare for yourself, let alone for mass consumption, and sell it on the internet. Still this is just what many e-liquid retailers are doing.

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not going to say that ejuice is harmful. I'm just saying there is a likelihood that because of lack of regulation, a contaminated eliquid may theoretically end up in the hands of an ecig user. Now you might wonder about the e-liquid that has been produced by e-cig manufacturers themselves? Here once again, we effectively have the same problem. Formulated largely inside China, there is absolutely no regulation of any type concerning how this e-liquid is made. In the end, it seems individuals shopping for e juice should think about that old adage caveat emptor or "Let the buyer beware".